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Gov. Kay Ivey is expected to discuss future plans for the state's stay-at-home order at a Tuesday press conference.

Two state legislators said on Twitter on Tuesday that they expect Ivey to discuss the future of the order, put in place in April in an attempt to limit the COVID-19 outbreak. The order expires at 5 p.m. on Thursday.

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Governor Kay Ivey during a coronavirus briefing in the state capitol building in Montgomery, Ala., on Tuesday April 21, 2020. (Photo: Mickey Welsh / Advertiser)

"Gov. Ivey said she would make an announcement tomorrow (4/28) on her plans to begin reopening the state’s economy," Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, wrote on Twitter on Monday.

Sen. Cam Ward, R-Alabaster, wrote that he was "looking forward to her announcement in the next couple of days to begin reopening our state."

Messages seeking comment were left with Ivey's office on Monday. Garrett and Ward said in separate phone interviews on Monday that Ivey had not told them what she planned to do.

"The idea of a phased in reopening, I think that would be an ideal approach," Ward said. "But it's totally up to the governor."

Ivey solicited recommendations from panels set up by the state's U.S. House delegation and those tasked with speaking with small businesses about reopening.

"She's had plenty of advice," Garrett said.

Both Ivey and State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris had previously signaled that they would make a decision on the future of the order on or around April 28.

The outbreak has wreaked human and economic damage in the state. The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) reported more than 6,400 COVID-19 cases in the state as of Monday morning and 219 deaths. African-Americans have made up a disproportionate number of deaths in the state. Businesses have shuttered and furloughs and layoffs have taken place throughout Alabama.

Though there have been some calls from conservative activists to lift the existing orders, the decision is complicated by a lack of testing in the state. Through Thursday, fewer than 1% of Alabama's population had been tested for COVID-19. Rural areas, most notably the Black Belt and the Wiregrass, have lagged Alabama as a whole. Experts consider widespread testing key to containing any future outbreaks of COVID-19.

On April 21, Ivey cited that lack of testing as a reason she was not immediately following other southern governors moving to lift restrictions.

"I'm as as eager as anyone to get our economy open and spinning on all cylinders again," she said. "But again, we have to be careful and cautious in what we are doing, and doing it in a smart, productive way."

It was not immediately clear on Monday what the governor planned to announce. A committee led by Garrett released a proposal on April 17 that recommended the immediate reopening of small retailers and a phased reopening of beaches, provided they followed social distancing and safety guidelines. Ivey did not commit to the recommendations of the report at the time.

Business owners have expressed concerns that customers may take time to return, even if current restrictions are lifted.